So, you want to start a town! Part 3

Two previous posts (11/9/07 & 11/14/07) have listed the ordinances first adopted by the Town of Bradley after its incorporation. Here, except for two that will be described in more detail in a later post, are 10 more ordinaces:

Ordinance No. 21: “An Ordinance Penalizing Willful Obstructing or Resisting an Officer…” This is a largely self-explanatory matter dealt with today by state statutes. The penalty for violation of this ordinance was “…not less than Fifty ($50.00) Dollars nor more than Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars.”

Ordinance No. 22: “An Ordinance to Prohibit Dogs from running loose on the Streets…” This ordinance also required that dogs be “…properly muzzled, or previously rendered immune from rabies, …” Owners of dogs who violated this ordinance were fined “…in any sum not less than One ($1.00) Dollar nor more than Ten ($10.00) Dollars.”

Ordinance No. 23: “An Ordinance to Fix the Fire Limit … and Prescribe the Material of which Buildings may be Erected within said Limits.” Section 1 provides: “All that Part of the Incorporated Town of Bradley, Arkansas in Block Eight (8), Block Nine (9), Block Ten (10), Block Eleven (11), Block Three (3), and Block Four (4), as shown on the original Plat of the Town of Bradley, Arkansas, now on record in the Clerk’s office in Lewisville, Arkansas.” Section 2 provides: “That it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to erect, or cause to be erected on any lot or plat of ground embraced within the fire limits as designated in Section One (1) of this Ordinance, Any building or any addition to any building now erected, unless outer walls thereof be made of Brick and Morter [sic], or Stone and Morter [sic], until such person or persons shall have obtained permission of the Town Council, which permission to be valid shall be in Writing and be signed by a majority of the Town Council.” Section 3 provides that, in the event of a violation, “…said Town Council may proceed at once to pull down such buildings or additions.” Section 4 provides a penalty of “… any sum not more than twenty-five ($25.00) Dollars.” Finally, across the first page of this ordinance, the following appears in large red writing: “Repealed by Town Council in Regular Session, Nov. 10, 1926, By Unanimous Vote of the Council. W. E. Cochran, Recorder.” The six blocks described in this ordinance are the two blocks which front the railroad on either side of current Hwy. 160 (Fourth St.), and the blocks in which the Community State Bank and the Chamber of Commerce gazebo are currently located.

Ordinance No. 24: “An Ordinance to Prohibit the Sale of Live Stock At Public Outcry on the Streets and Allies [sic] … or Any One Hawking or Peddling ….” Section 1 provides: “That any person or persons desiring to sell or offering for sale at public outcry, any horse, mule or any other domestic animals at auction in the Streets or Allies [sic] …shall first pay to the Recorder …a license fee of Twenty ($20.00) Dollars per Annum, said license payable annually in advance.” Section 2 requires such a license also for “…Hawking or Peddling Goods, Wares, or Merchandise of any description other than grown produced, or manufactured by the Seller himself ….” The penalty for violation of this ordinance was “…not less than Ten ($10.00) Dollars nor more than Fifty ($50.00) Dollars.”

Ordinance No. 25 and Ordinance No. 29 concern the providing of “…an Electric Light and Power system and supply ….” and will be described in more detail in a later post.

Ordinance No. 26: “An Ordinance Creating an improvement district ….” Section 1 provides: “That a special improvement district be created … and be designated as Special Improvement District #1, and to be composed of the following described real property, to wit: All of Blocks three (3), four (4), nine (9) and ten (10) ….” Section 2 provides: “That said Special improvement district shall be for the purpose of making necessary Improvements and repairs to the following streets in the said town of Bradley, to wit; On Pilot Avenue between third and fifth Streets; On Pullman Street between third and fifth Streets; and on fourth Street between Pilot Avenue and Woodruff Streets; also the drainage ditch leading South through Block 10 and east along third Street to Rail Road.” “The above Ordinance was adopted at a Special Meeting of the Council held on Oct. 12th, 1928, All Members of the Council being present.” Finally, across the page of this ordinance, the following appears in large red writing: “This Ordinance is VOID through failure to Complete Organization of Special Improvement District as Provided by State Law. W. E. Cochran, Recorder.” The area described in this ordinance is the four-block area in which the Bradley Municipal Complex, Coker Hardware, Community State Bank and the Chamber of Commerce gazebo are currently located.

Ordinance No. 27: “An Ordinance regulating the driving of automobiles, trucks or other Vehicles ….” This ordinance prohibited driving “…at a dangerous or reckless rate of speed, or in a dangerous or reckless manner ….” A violator was to be “…fined not less than five ($5.00) Dollars nor more than Twenty-five ($25.00) for each and every offense.” Finally, “The above and foregoing Ordinance was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the Incorporated Town of Bradley, Ark. held on Dec. 11, 1928, majority members of said Council being present. R. H. Duty, Mayor. R. M. Holland, Recorder. (Recorded Jun. 3, 1929 by W. E. Cochran, Recorder)”

Ordinance No. 28: “An Ordinance to permit the Town of Bradley, Arkansas, to require prisoners to work out fines on the streets or other improvements of the Town.” This self-explanatory ordinance applied to “…all prisoners confined in the County Jail or Town Prison ….” It was adopted on January 8, 1929, and bears the names of R. H. Duty, Mayor; R. M. Holland, Recorder; Homer Enyart, M. E. O’Neal, B. D. McDonald, Aldermen.

Ordinance No. 29, as stated above, will be described in more detail in a later post.

Ordinance No. 30: “An Ordinance Prohibiting the Running At Large … of any Horse, Mule, Ass, Goat, Sheep or Hog.” A violating owner of any such animal was to “…be fined in the sum of not less than five ($5.00) Dollars nor more than twenty-five ($25.00) Dollars for the first offense, and in the sum of not less than Ten ($10.00) Dollars nor more than Thirty-five ($35.00) for the second offense and for each subsequent offense.” This ordinance was adopted on May 14, 1929, and bears the names of R. H. Duty, Mayor; W. E. Cochran, Recorder; Jno. B. Edwards, F. P. Adams, B. D. McDonald, Aldermen.